Bloody Secrets
by Kittie Emily
Summary: Sometimes blood can unravel the best of secrets. T for Language and slightly detailed scenes no smut . Red Hood/Nightwing Dick/Jason JayDick DickJay Richard/Jason


It was cold, hardly uncommon in the area in which they found themselves. One man's muscled, toned to perfection body seemed to be gazing over the city. The older man's tight, black suit had a lining above his shoulders that continued into a strip into his arms that curled and covered his middle and ring fingers in bright, almost neon blue pathway. The suit seemed to be the only indicator of this man's identity. His eyes were covered with a mask, domino styled, hiding his true self from the world. His eyes flickered to the sky; its dark gray hue spoke ominous words about the impending weather.

He turned hearing footsteps behind himself, "Jay, I told you…" He was quickly cut off by the man. He wore a similar domino mask, a bright red version, leaving the lower part of his face exposed to the elements. His light brown leather jacket seemed to give the man added protection from the cold, whipping winds around him. His perfectly toned body could be seen through the tight black tee-shirt the man wore giving little for the imagination.

"Dickie-bird," he started with, "I told you I was coming _anyway_." The man spoke in a serious tone alluding to the fact he was not a man to step down because of a mere threat. The man took steps towards the other man. The man walking had a section of his bangs that were white, clashing with the rest of the man's jet black hair. 'Dickie-bird', the man in the black outfit with neon strips running from his chest, over his shoulders, and then surrounding his middle and ring finger; frowned.

"I can't protect you forever, Jason. Bruce will arrest you. _Again_." The man started out with, slowly. Stressing the fact he could not stop Bruce from arresting the red and black clad vigilante for long. Jason just rolled his eyes in response while moving next to the blue and black man

"Fuck off, I don't need you to." He looked up at the sky before moving his eyes back to the other man.

"Jay, you could just come home, it's going to get too hard soon—"

"What? Is Dickie-bird going soft on me? Serves you right, _Dick_." He barked at him. Jason knew he didn't need to go 'home'. It was Dick's way of trying to fix the Bat-Clan's one too many problems.

Dick winced at the man's comment; he was getting a bit rough these past few weeks. Bruce was turning out to be much more of a threat to their relationship than either of them had ever thought. Not that Bruce, or anyone for that matter, knew they were together and they liked it that way, for the most part.

"Jason." Dick snapped out, "You just need to stop and think. How can you even say no to that anymore? Think how much easier this could all be!" Dick turned to face to man straight on, Jason was an inch or two taller, but that didn't bother him. He stared at the man's face; it wasn't that hard to be captured in the way his eyes, even through the white-out guards, stared at him like he was the only thing in the world worth anything. Like he was the greatest treasure any man could have, "You're lashing out at me, Jay. It's not my fault-."

"It doesn't have to be your fault, Birdie. You're attached to him still, leave him _once_ and _for all_ then we won't have to deal with _him_. Ever again." Jason threw himself off the edge of the building, roughly ending the conversation. Dick felt his heart race, knowing the statistics of death from leaping from the rooftops of buildings never the less he knew Jason had done this too many times to mess up. Sometimes he wished Jason would just go home and let Bruce forgive him while Jason got the apology he craved so much. Dick looked up hearing the loud crack of thunder; he looked away from the building moving off to some other direction intent on getting home before it rained too heavily to get home safe.

His only saving grace was the fact crime followed the same pattern. When it rained the roaches fled for cover, meaning nothing to fight and an early night for him.

- 000 -

Jason had heard through the grape vine that Batman had not been seen in a while; some even said the non-killable man was _dead_. He needed to find out from Dick if the rumors were true or not, even though he doubted it severely. He moved to the roof, where he had yelled at said man previously, the traitor deserved it though for thinking he was weak enough to let a brooding Bat take him to jail once more. The previous time had been on purpose, to test his mentor once again… not that Goldie needed to know that. He stood and waited from his black and blue clad partner before he heard footsteps trotting heavily behind him. Quite uncommon, it set a weird tingle down his spine. He was preparing for the worst.

"Took you long enough, Birdie." He turned to see Dick looking at him at a deadpanned look, "You're too predictable, Dickie-bird." Jason said walking towards his current boyfriend, or was it back to fuck buddy. He couldn't remember anymore but he liked to think boyfriend. The black sheep of the Batfamily stopped an inch away from the shorter, limber man. He could see Dick's exhaustedly pained face; his body language seemed dull and pained compared to his usual exuberance.

"Dickie-bird, are you-?" He didn't have time to finish his statement after catching the ex-boy wonder. Dick's composure deteriorated into the man's hands unable to keep himself upright any longer. Jason held the acrobat bringing him closer to his own body. He gave him a quick check over to see if the man had been exposed to everything that might have caused this.

That's when Jason saw red, his vision wasn't red with rage; it was red with the blood he saw behind where Dick had been standing not even a moment ago. He moved his hands to see blood pouring out of a few; he counted around five, small wounds that looked shaped lightly bullet holes. He took a sharp breath, trying not to hiss out in possessiveness. How Dick had made it up here in the cold, blistering wind was beyond him. Maybe it was something Bruce had taught Dick? Something the monster of a man hadn't taught him. He growled placing his hand on the holes, they felt like bullet wounds if nothing else at all. He searched around for an exit wound and couldn't find one. '_Shit_.' was all Jason could think at the moment.

Jason's hand moved down to his pocket, he needed to, regrettably, call the Bat Clan. They were more readily prepared to help Dick than he could, as much as he hated to say it. His hands shook as he tried to press the numbers as fast as he could, Alfred would be the safest bet. He didn't need Tim and Bruce chasing after him (Jason was more than positive that Bruce was still alive and healthy). He was here to help his lover, not that any of them knew that. He'd act like the very worried brother, even than it was too out of character for him. He growled again, rage building up in the pit of his stomach. How was he supposed to help his boyfriend if he couldn't stand up to the Bat-Clan?

_Oh._

That's what Dick meant a few weeks ago when he stormed off. Jason hated to admit but the Golden Boy was right, again. He almost hated to say it but, "Richard, stay up." His voice came out desperate with a side of seriousness. He hate to call Dick by his full name but it was the only way he could grab the weakened, shot man's attention.

"'ing…" Jason could hear Dick's weak words, "...I had to see you, Jay." Nightwing's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Don't talk, Goldie, just stay up" Jason hissed out, shrugging off his jacket, wrapping it around Dick's lower body. All of the bullets seemed to miss his boyfriend's spine, thankfully. They didn't need him to be paralyzed like Barbara. He winced, just even thinking about his boyfriend being stuck in a wheel chair. That image enough gave him enough energy to press the call button on his phone.

Jason was apprehensive as he heard the ringing from phone. He was getting incredibly antsy until he, _finally_, heard a voice answer the phone.

"_Hello, Wayne Manor. Alfred Pennyworth speaking, how may I be of service this evening?_" He heard Alfred's aristocratic voice smoothly speak, inviting you into a conversation while his voice sounded as if he couldn't afford to waste time. Jason just gritted his teeth, as much as he wanted to have a heart to heart, he was being sarcastic of course, he couldn't. Not with Dick bleeding out on the roof with barely anything to help slow the blood that was steadily staining his jacket. His favorite one too.

"Alfred, it's Jason. I need help, _seriously_. Actually, _I_ don't need it, _Dick_ does. I don't know how long I can stop him from bleeding out." Jason said quickly, trying not to let his voice raise half an octave. There was a pause before Jason let his voice crack, not caring.

"Alfred, _please _I can't get there on my own. Send Tim, send Bruce, or both of them! I don't care! Just trace my call if you aren't—" His attention was pulled away from the call as Dick's eyes started to shut.

"Fuck, Nightwing, _**Dick**_. Don't you dare! Stay with _me_, fuck _**Dick**_, _**stay with me**_!" Jason yelled, not caring if prying eyes and ears were overlooking his situation. He dropped the phone on the ground. The Red Hoo just scrambled to hold his jacket to Dick's lower back.

"Jay, stop touching my ass." Dick said it was said in such a small voice, slightly amused one but clearly delirious. The injured Nightwing head rolled into Jason's shoulder, his breathing was shaky at best. The younger of the two was clearly freaking out right now; Dick could hear his heart pounding through his shirt.

"Goldie, shut up." Jason stated, applying pressure to the wound. His hands were becoming slick with Dick's blood. Jason had to swallow the bile that built up in his throat, he couldn't do this. He could let Dick bleed out, "Alfred, I'm going to try to go back to the Manor." He took his free hand grabbing the phone, "I'll leave the phone on, keep tabs on me if Tim or Bruce get around me tell them to pick me up." There wasn't time to care about the past; the present was all that mattered. Dick's life was all that mattered. Plus he could ditch the phone later, it was disposable of course.

Jason pushed himself to a standing position, dropping the phone into his shirt. He cradled Dick close to his chest. He tried to tie his jacket as close to Dick's body as he could possibly do without hurting his lover, "Don't worry, Goldie, I got you." Jason whispered out, quickly moving to the edge of the building. He dropped onto the fire escape before grappling to the next roof over. When it connected he felt them hang for a moment before he slowly lowered himself into an alley. His eyes, under the domino mask, looked around the area. His eyes found the glint he was looking for.

Jason moved down the alley, pulling up his snow covered motorcycle. He sighed thankful that no one had found his bike this time. The last time he had left it to go off in search of his boyfriend some hobo electrocuted himself trying to steal it. He picked it up with a little difficulty, Dick taking most of his attention every time he'd groan and whimper in pain. It was really distracting while he was trying to get his bike up. After a few moments that seemed like centuries, Jason had picked his bike up to a standing position. He put Dick in front of him, his phone digging into his chest as he pulled Dick closer to him.

"Jay, now's not the time for sex." The injured bird muttered, causing a chuckle to vibrate from his phone. Jason almost froze but didn't care after a moment; after all he could just make Dick take it during some really rough make up sex later, "You're fucking crazy, Goldie. I can do better than you." Jason growled out, still trying to cover up Dick's falter in their web of lies to the Bat-Clan.

Dick gave a sigh, not seeing or remembering that he was a phone directly linked to Alfred, "Do you mean that?" Dick sounded almost like a weakened, kicked puppy.

"Of course not." Jason whispered into Dick's ear, revving the bike to stop Alfred from hearing what was said.

The bike lurched forward with a low set rumble, the motorcycle purred loudly as it sped down the alley way out to the main street. He heard a horn blare at the side of his face; he turned the bike quickly using all of his reflexes and knowledge to maneuvere the bike and his lover out of the way of oncoming traffic. He growled moving in between cars trying to get to the Manor as fast as possible. He'd have to take the long route if he wasn't going to bring any followers with him.

His tires squealed as he moved to an on-ramp. There didn't seem to be anyone following him which meant no one knew how injured Nightwing was. That could save both of their asses tonight.

-000-

Jason noticed the cave doors were opened already as his tires squealed coming off the wet road into the dry pavement. He drove into the cave, watching the door close behind him. His eyes looked up to the giant Bat-computer, the single greatest computer on Earth, to boast it lightly.

Jason removed himself from the bike, holding Dick to his chest. His crotch was soaked to the bone with Dick's blood. It felt sickeningly slick as it slowly dripped down his legs. Jason felt the need to just vomit but he couldn't. He needed to stay strong for the both of them, "Alfred!" He yelled his voice cracked in the pain he tried so desperately to hide.

"Bring him here, Master Jason!" Alfred's voice carried from out of the room he knew was used for surgeries if they couldn't get a hold of Leslie. Jason's heart dropped, Alfred would have to save Dick, not that he didn't have faith that the man could save him. He just felt his faith falter with the fact that Dick had lost at least a pint of blood. This couldn't be healthy for either of them.

Jason grunted moving as quickly as he could without slipping as Dick's blood reached his boots. He growled, moving through the door. He saw Alfred's half lidded, always calculating gaze moving around Nightwing's figure.

"My word, I'll get the blood, you flip him over on his stomach." Alfred seemed to disappear before his eyes to grab some AB -, seemed poetic that the man that defined all gravity had the single rarest blood type in the world. Jason placed Dick on his stomach on the cold table, his eyes we half lidded. Jason moved his hands over the older man's neck, feeling for a pulse. It was weak but, thankfully, it was strong enough to keep going. The young vigilante started to unzip Dick's uniform, finding that he could disable Dick's traps before they had been set off, a trick that came in handy every time they wanted a quickie.

Jason pulled the uniform apart, exposing the bruised and bleeding skin from underneath it. The scars that marred his lover's body hypnotized him for a moment. Alfred snapping his fingers seemed to grab his attention.

"We don't have enough AB- to support him, surgery will need to be quick to—" Alfred was cut off by Jason, who seemed to glare at him through the mask.

"I may not exactly be the perfect specimen, but take mine. You know Dick and I have the same blood type." Jason barked out, he pulled off his gray, long sleeved skin tight shirt that covered all of his imperfections. It seemed poetic that the world's most imperfect specimen would be the only one to save the most perfect one. Every crow bar hit that had been slammed against his abdomen still laid there in perfect, timeless stasis. Jason watched Alfred's eyes seemed to give him a look of approval, something he almost thought he'd never see again after his stint with the Joker that left him dead and alone.

"Welcome home, Master Jason." Alfred said moving to grab a needle from a drawer. He pulled out the blood kit, every so often the Bat-Clan had to give blood to Alfred just in case one would be injured they'd have blood on hand and not have to fret over the inability to get ahold of Leslie. It seemed to work well until recently. It seemed the clan had become too busy do the ritual that saved their lives on many an occasion. The butler offered the equipment to Jason which he took with a grimace. He moved to a chair that wasn't too far away from his lover. Pulling off his domino mask he let his teal blue eyes soak in the scene without the white out guard blocking it.

Jason took a breath; it seemed this would be the only way to save Dick. He really hoped none of the Bat-Clan came home while he was here. He took an alcoholic pad to sanitize the crease of his elbow where the vein resided. His eyes moved to see Dick's head facing the other side of the room. He couldn't see if he was breathing but he did see Alfred in an apron. He was pulling out the bullets that were causing the massive amounts of bleeding.

Jason felt such anger flow through him at the thought of someone hurting his Dickie-bird. He quickly grabbed the needle, which had already been attached to the bag where his blood would pool waiting to be placed into Dick's as a last resort if his iron count couldn't come up enough to save the hero, and stuck it in his vein. A precise and practiced stick from the thousands of times he had done this to himself under Alfred's careful watch. He felt the release of his anger and pain as the blood slowly left his veins and entered the bag. It was sickening to know bleeding helped the pain. He wasn't a cutter but he could see the appeal in cutting his skin to release his emotional pain.

He let go for a while, just thinking about everything that was happen whilst Alfred stitching up his lover. His eyes looked up at Alfred, giving him a wordless thank you. He looked down at the bag; it was almost where it needed to be for the most amount of blood he could give without hurting himself. He looked back up to see the butler placing a piece of gauze around the area, wrapping it around his boyfriend's stomach while adding another layer on his back. Jason took a shaky breath, he was starting to feel light headed and nauseated. This wouldn't be good for his plan to drop Dick and run from Daddy Bats. His eyes moved to take out the needle, his hands trembled enough to where he couldn't seem to get the needle out on his own.

"Here, let me help." The voice was rough, almost let the man was chewing pebbles and trying to speak. He felt his face pale, if it were even possible, at the sound. He watched the black gloved hands moving around his arm. Carefully taking out the needle while making sure he wouldn't bleed out. Jason was almost surprised at the man's gentleness while doing this. Didn't Bruce hate him? Why would he suddenly becoming this overly gentle man to someone he clearly didn't like?

"You saved him, something I couldn't do." Oh, there was the answer to the question of the century.

"Are you going to arrest me?" Jason growled out, well tried. His voice felt airy, he doubted he was able to intimidate a kitten at this point.

"No." Bruce answered, placing a piece of clothe to absorb any blood that left the wound while wrapping gauze around Jason's arm to stop the bleeding. Jason's eyes widened before settling back to there half lidded resting spot. He could almost feel Bruce's glare at the crowbar scars, he knew more than anyone how much the remembrance of that night hurt the older man. More so than Dick, who had completely blamed himself for the tragedy even though he hadn't had anything to do with it.

"…'Kay." Jason said, tiredly, leaning his head back on the chair. His head was spinning but he needed to stay awake for Dick.

But it didn't seem like that was going to be possible. Jason felt his eyelids become too heavy to keep open. His eyes closed as a gloves hand run its fingers through his hair. It was like _that_ night all over again.

- 000 –

_Jason sat on the plush, ridiculously comfortable sofa, knees drawn up to his chest as his arms wrapped around them. He sat there, in his Robin uniform, staring at the blank screen as he sneezed rubbing his nose on his elbow. The skin of his nose had been rubbed raw; Rudolph had absolutely nothing on him at this point. Jason's watery blood shot blue eyes moved to see Alfred bringing him a steaming bowl of his 'Sick Be Gone' soup, a soup that every member of the Bat Family wanted if they were ill, the soup could cure almost any disease but at this point Jason was still in denial of his illness so he refused to eat it. _

_Alfred sighed, of course not making a noise to the outside world._

"_Let us see what's on the telly tonight." His posh voice echoed along inside his throbbing skull as he turned on the television to some movie that seemed oddly popular at the time. Jason was at his patience's end, not that he had much patience to begin with._

"_I'm not a baby! I can take care of myself!" Jason yelled at Alfred, his eyes becoming moister as he sneezed again._

"_Then I wish you __**would**__, Master Jason." Alfred turned his back to Jason, scurrying away taking the now cold soup away from the in denial sick teen. Jason sniffed rubbing his watery eyes on elbow, trying to get the moisture out of his eyes; it irritated him that the world looked so blurry._

"_Taking a night off once in a while isn't a crime Jason." Jason perked up, hearing his caretaker perched behind him. He tilted his head looking up at the cowl-less Bruce as he leaned over the couch staring at the movie as if trying to figure out how much had passed since it started._

"_So, what are we watching?" He asked, moving around the couch, sitting next to Jason as he placed his cape along the arm rest of the sofa. He sat next to the wide eyed, but secretly happy, Jason who seemed to suddenly find it was okay to relax and take the night off if he felt sick. Jason leaned on Bruce's arm which had been quite the comfortable pillow as he watched explosions and people running in fear of some giant Dinosaur looking thing. His eyes slipped shut as he heard Alfred walk in with popcorn for the both of them._

_Jason felt something light cover him as he laid in a shallow sleep. He was very much aware of what was going on, but didn't move; though that sleep didn't last long as he completely passed out on to the arm of Bruce Wayne, the Batman. The only man he could ever consider a father after his useless excuse for one walked out on him as a child._

-000-

Jason's eyes opened to the world, a blurry one but a world none the less. He groaned, looking around the room. He blinked the sleep from his eyes before he sat up.

"You're up." The voice said, it was melodramatic and then he knew exactly who it was.

"Yes, Replacement, I'm up."Jason snapped back, groaning again when his eyes were suddenly attacked by sunlight. Had he slept through the night? Shit.

"How is _he_?" Jason asked quickly, his blue eyes connecting with fellow blue eyes across the room, both boys had different hues. Jason's being a dark blue while Tim's leaned to a bit more gray than blue.

"He'll be fine, we're lucky you pulled the _hero_ move. We would have lost him without it." There was some venom in the genius's words that slapped him across the face as he spoke.

"I didn't do it to be a _hero_." Jason growled out, hating that his replacement would even insinuate that he had saved his lover's life just to be a hero. Just to be acceptable in his ex-family's life? No, that wasn't his reasoning at all. It wasn't even a good reason to save anyone. He didn't care if the Bat-Clan loved him or not, all that mattered was that Dick cared for him.

"Then why? Why'd you do it?" Tim's voice cracked, it was a scary thing to hear from Jason's position. The teen sounded like he was on the verge of tears. _Shit_. He didn't know how to handle this situation.

"…That's not my reason to say." Jason said cryptically, Dick wanted to tell his family about them. Not himself. He was perfectly okay with Dick being his secret little pleasure. His little Dickie-bird. But Dick wanted to make their relationship public, well to the family. Richard Grayson-Wayne could never be outwardly gay. It would ruin Bruce's play-boy image. He sighed, moving his legs over the edge of the… bed? He snapped his head looking around the room. It was his old room… his god damn old room. Damn it to hell, Bruce!

"Why?" Tim asked, his voice perking up a bit, but it still held that heaviness that Jason could pick apart as tiredness and worry. He didn't blame the kid, to be completely honest. People didn't just turn leaves over night.

"…Because sometimes in life you can't pick and choose your answers when they aren't your to give. Kinda like we can't tell people we love about our identities because they affect Bruce's identity indirectly."

"Wise words there, Jason." Jason's eyes looked up to see Bruce standing in the door way. His eyes immediately looked down from the large man in the door. His dream of a memory still stung his bruised ego.

"How is he?" Jason asked, bringing his teal blue eyes to stare into Bruce's own pale blue eyes. All of the family had blue eyes. It must have been their one thing that made them a real family. Of course he was the only red head in the family. He dyed his hair black to match the man that pulled him out of despair, well now it was naturally black with a white clump of bangs. A weird side effect from his resurrection.

Jason just watched the eldest vigilante give an attempt at a smile, but the man seemed to have forgotten how to move his lip muscles to form the very thing Jason craved to see. It seemed pathetic, actually. The corners of the man's mouth twitched, but that was about the extent of happiness the Bat was willing to show. He wasn't even show he was speaking to Bruce Wayne or Batman.

"He's fine, begging to see you, actually. You're clothes have been washed, we tried to get the blood out as best as we could."

"As Alfred could." Jason corrected, standing up. It barely took a step before he fumbled with his foot work. He quickly grabbed the dresser and shot a glare at the youngest of their clan, who had snickered at the display of weakness.

"Jason…" Bruce started to say, Jason wanted to snap at him. Tell him how much he didn't need the man to help him. But he knew if he snapped, _this_ was ever going to work. If he was ever going to make Dick truly happy he'd have to suck it up as ask for the very thing he fought so desperately to never need.

"Help." Jason shut his eyes, letting the moment of weakness fill his entire being. He had been trying to hard to be the model of perfection to show Bruce that his way was the only right way but now he knew. He knew he couldn't live like this forever, alone and having to sneak around to even talk to his boyfriend, who was feeling the stress and strain of hiding this from his own family. He couldn't put Dick through the stress any longer. He couldn't put himself through the stress any longer.

When Bruce put his arms around Jason, he finally felt all the anger, the boiling rage that he felt deep down, to what he believed could have been his soul, just vanished. He found his legs giving out from under him but those strong arms he remembered as a teen kept him upright.

"Are you alright?" Bruce asked quickly, making sure Jason was okay to continue. Jason weakly nodded, getting his footing back he took a few steps forward with Bruce's help.

Maybe Dick had been right this whole time. All he needed to do was ask for help and he'd be offered some sanctuary in his explosive mess of a life.

"I'm sorry, for everything. I… I didn't…" Jason stopped talking when Bruce gave him a squeeze on his arm.

"I'm the one that should be sorry. I didn't… do the proper thing either. I should have known you were telling the truth." Jason's heart thudded in his chest, Bruce had finally figured out he hadn't killed that man? That the man had fallen to his death? That… that was too perfect. His eyes narrowed as he took in the surroundings. It seemed too real, but could he be dreaming?

"When did you…?" Jason asked, wanting to know how long his ex-caretaker had known about that man's death not being his fault.

"I've known for a while. I've been stubborn, Dick showed me that. Being stubborn will get neither of us anywhere." Bruce said, a bit growled out like he didn't want to admit what he was saying. Jason took a breath, surprised but feeling even lighter.

"All of this family love is going to give us cancer." The Red Hood tried to squash the family moment, not enjoying the weird fluffy feeling he was getting from the usually broody man who was currently holding him upright.

"_Everything_ gives people cancer." Tim added, trying to ruin the moment just as badly as Jason was trying to. Tim seemed jealous at the attention while Jason wished to not have the spotlight on him at all.

Tim's predecessor just snorted taking a few more steps with Bruce's help. Once he thought he had more of a grip on his walking ability he paused, looking up at Bruce. No matter how old any of them were, they always had to look up to Bruce. He was always the tallest of them all and Jason hoped that never changed.

"I think I have this on my own." Jason said in a smaller voice than he meant to. Bruce respected the tone and let go of him. He wanted to badly to run down to the cave to see Dick just to know he was fine. He took a few steps, feeling a bit powerful before one false step sent him sprawling flat on his face. Jason grumbled as he felt two pairs of arms help him up from the ground.

"Jason, I do believe Bruce is going to have to help you walk around until your blood sugar levels balance to a healthier range."

"Or until I smoke." Jason hissed out, the need in the back of his mind was suddenly there. Damn, he didn't realize how badly he needed to smoke until just then. He watched Bruce shake his head in disapproval. He moved his head to the other side to see Tim grinning wickedly. Shit. Whatever the two were mentally talking about it wouldn't fair well for him.

"Your cigarettes were soaked in blood. They're ruined." Jason could hear the amused tone of voice Tim had as he explained. It was almost like he was looking forward to watching Jason fall off his cigarette horse into a very, very nasty withdrawal.

"I hate you, you little fucker." Jason growled out at Tim, which earned him a smack to the back of his hand, "Jason, language." Bruce stated flatly, rolling his eyes at the antics of the 'brothers' in arms. Jason gave a glare to the man, but decided it was to be short lived.

"Can I see him?" Jason said, not really caring about how is sounded for the most part, "You should have seen him… I didn't think Dick could ever look that…" He was lying through his teeth; he had seen Dick in worse bedroom situations. Jason always knew how to make Dick vulnerable and completely used before building that boy into a man once more. His greatest and most fun things to do and Dick _really_ enjoyed it for the most part.

If Bruce or Tim had caught on to his lie they didn't show it, "Tim, go grab a granola bar or something that has a greater protein value in it. I'll take Jason to the cave." Tim frowned but nodded anyway following his mentor's order, Jason saw Tim stick his tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes, letting Bruce move him into the cave and away from his replacement.

He really couldn't remember why he hadn't just killed the fucker.

- 000 -

It had taken forever and a day to get down those stairs, or at least it felt like forever _and a day_. When Jason finally hit flat ground he could have almost sung praise to Bruce. He cleared his throat, trying to hide his sudden embarrassment from the thought. It took a moment but Jason's eyes did adjust to the dark. _Blue eyes were always more sensitive on picking up light in very dark places._ He remembered Bruce saying at one point in his life. But of course, he couldn't exactly remember when. He was probably too deep into his teen rebellion stage to really have paid attention to the Bat.

They moved as a combined organism to see their injured son / brother, respectively. Jason moving just a bit slower than his taller counterpart but they seemed to be doing fine on their own pace. The smaller of the duo saw his beaten, shot lover on a bed with a half empty bag of his blood. He felt suddenly sick as he saw the scene, he really hoped he'd be able to expunge the view from his mind. The nightmares that would spawn because of this wouldn't be pretty.

Dick was pale, unbelievably so. He seemed like the ghost of the man he was with. There was a heart rate monitor that had a steady stream of beeps telling the world Dick was, indeed, alive.

"How long as he been out?" Jason asked to no one in particular but he knew someone would answer him. Whether it be Bruce or Alfred was the question at hand.

"Since you fainted." Bruce said with a bit of mirth in his voice. It was odd to hear the voice that startled criminals in the night so vividly happy… well vividly from Batman standards. It almost made Jason shiver with the fear the world might soon end.

The rebellious adult felt Bruce slowly let go of him, knowing what said male was going to do before he said it. That's when it finally clicked in his mind.

"How long have you known?" Jason questioned the large man behind him without looking at him. He stumbled next to Dick, taking the convenient chair that was placed next to Dick's bed.

"I wasn't entirely sure until last night. Some things were noticeable, Dick's limping for one." Bruce's voice seemed to drop to a colder level before raising his voice's normal tone, "Sometimes he'd ask for you in his sleep. It was beyond… adorable?" Bruce questioned the word the moment it left his mouth. He couldn't ever picture himself saying that kind of thing to anyone, let alone Jason.

"As was I." Alfred said, making an entrance from the back room with another bag set for blood taking as he waved a finger at Bruce motioning him to sit down in the other chair while he took some blood. The lack of blood in the cooler must have made him a little on edge by the way his was wordlessly commanding his boss.

"So… the cat's out of the bag, huh?" Jason said looking at the two older men as his lover lay in the bed unconscious next to him.

"Yes." Both of the older men said at once, giving each other a look that held a complete and totally silent conversation. He hated when the Bat-Clan did that. He was the only one that never really understood how to do that.

"And?" Jason asked, wanting their opinions on whether or not Bruce would become a homophobe or if Alfred would kick him out for getting his gay germs all over the floor. What was actually said surprised Jason.

"I approve, Master Jason, if my opinion means anything." The butler said, jabbing the needling into Bruce's arm as he struck the vein to get the life source necessary to keep any other them from dying on Alfred's care. Hopefully.

"I'm, more regretablly, going to agree with Alfred. But your behavior has to change." Bruce said, hissing a bit but not at Jason, more at the needle in his arm.

Jason blinked; surprised by the fact they didn't care. He opened his mouth to speak, to ask why they approved of him before he shut it. He wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Why ruin something that seemed to be going spectacularly well for the most part? He was changing, he wanted to say. He wasn't killing as many people; Dick wouldn't be down for fucking if he shot anyone that night. So, not killing someone in exchange for sex? Who wouldn't agree to something that great, especially when Dick's unbelievably perfect ass was involved?

Jason's head snapped behind him when he heard a groaning noise. His eyes moved to Dick as his hand twitched as if he was trying to reach something. Jason slipped his hand over Dick's own, letting the unconscious man feel his hand to let him know he was there. Jason watched Dick's bluer than blue eyes slowly open to about half way before they couldn't seem to open any wider.

"I didn't think you'd be here when I woke up…" Dick said in a small, almost absent voice. Jason felt his blood run cold for a moment, did Dick really think that? Jason sighed internally, knowing that if he hadn't passed out he'd most likely not be here being supportive. Being a God damn good boyfriend to a man he didn't deserve. Not in his second life time, not even in his first life time.

"Well I'm here, don't go getting' all sappy on me now." Jason deadpanned, not caring about the two men behind him. He was here for one reason now. To make sure Dick knew how much he meant to him and if being completely uncomfortable would do that, then by God he would.

The soft smile that caressed Dick's lips made the entire uncomfortable feeling shed away from his body, disappearing to some God knows only place where feelings went unused. Jason moved his free hand to brush Dick's bangs away from his face. His eyes had shut once more, after seeing his boyfriend there, doing something completely out of his character. It felt nice to do something so completely unexpected to Dick that is actually left the older man at a loss for words.

"I got the bar!" Jason heard, jumping out of his romantic moment with his lover. He gave a growl, as did he hear from Alfred, surprisingly, and Bruce. _Whoa_, talk about a serious fan club.

"Now, Master Timothy, I do suggest you find your way to your room, immediately. That was completely uncalled for. Didn't I say there would be no yelling in the Bat Cave?" Jason looked at the posh butler before looking at Tim. Tim seemed completely confused with his mouth agape. Tim's ears would have excreted smoke had this been a cartoon as the gears in his mind tried to work out why he was being sent to his room for completely a lame mission brought on by Bruce.

"But... I… huh?" Tim's brain, however brilliant he, was just didn't understand why the entire room had suddenly turned on him.

"Tim, your room. Now." Bruce stated in his, 'You're grounded' voice all of the men except for Alfred had heard from one time or another. Tim's shoulders slumped as he turned around walking away from the room.

While the moment had been ruined, something else took place. There was acceptance, a feeling he hadn't actually felt since… well since from when he first woke up to this loud, rage, angry world that left him dazed, confused and comatose. Jason's thoughts were pulled from their commonly morbid thinking patterns as Dick's grip relaxed under his hand. It was a tell tale sign that the man was sleeping, once more.

Something, for once, the black and white haired young adult was thankful for.

The Red Hood turned his head to see Bruce and Alfred having another one of their silent spats. Bruce must have finished his blood giving, the bag was gone without a trace. Only thing that showed any amount of evidence that blood had been taken was the gauze wrapped around Bruce's elbow and the man's paleness.

Alfred won, it seemed as Bruce's jaw set but he left the room silently. The British butler just moved around the area, tidying up for the mean time.

"Master Jason, I do believe you will be staying here until Master Dick full recovers, correct?" It wasn't an inquisition. It was a statement. Jason had to stay until the young Master was better, hell Dick didn't even live here. He lived in a different city. It seemed the both of them were stuck here for the time being.

"Yes." Jason just gave in, there wasn't any point in arguing. Plus it would piss his replacement off, sucking face with the kid's idol.

"I'll prepare a more permanent room then." Alfred went to scurry away before looking back over his shoulder, "Unless you'd like to share a room with Master Dick." Who would have thought Alfred would have approved so heavily of him? Well, of them. Jason just blinked, the shock must have reached the butler as he tried to keep his face placid.

"Purely platonic sleeping shall be happening, Master Jason. Purely, _platonic_." The youngest in the room glanced back at Dick. No sex? Fine, but then he was leaving as soon as possible. With Dick. To the nearest hotel for an all night fuck session.

"Fine." The teal eyed anti-hero replied with, turning his attention back to his boyfriend as Alfred scurried away.

"You're making this up to me, Dickie-bird."

"Oh, I plan on it." Jason heard an amused voice of his partner. The younger of the duo just pursed his lips, suddenly feeling like this was a set up.

Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. Dick's health over sex… for the most part. Okay, fine, Dick's health _always_ over sex.

And he wouldn't ever trade it for the world.


End file.
